Too Late
by the beautiful maniac
Summary: **Chapter 9 is up** Jeff Hardy leaves his pregnant girlfriend on the advice of his brother. What happens when he sees her again 4 years later? **Please R & R**
1. Prologue

**1998**  
  
"She's no good Jeff, I told you to be careful."  
  
"Matt, it's not."  
  
"No! You can't tell me she didn't plan this! She's got no money, nothing going for her. As soon as she saw you were interested, she latched onto you like a leech. And now she's got herself pregnant to trap you! I knew this would happen."  
  
"You're wrong about her Matt, Louisa's not like that. She doesn't want this either, she never planned it. The pregnancy was just an accident. And you know she's not after my money, she's got a group together now. They've made a demo tape, and they're looking for a record deal."  
  
"Yeah, and who paid for that tape to be made, huh? Who paid for them to go to the studio? You did. She's never gonna get a record deal, she's never gonna get anywhere in life. But she doesn't have to now, does she? She knows you'll never leave her. God, Jeff, why can't you listen to me? I saw this coming months ago. I tried to warn you then, but you just wouldn't have it. She can do no wrong in your eyes. Ahhhh, Amy, you try and talk to him, he just won't listen to me."  
  
"Jeff, you gotta listen to Matt, he's right. You hardly know Louisa, and yet you've been giving her money.."  
  
"Lending her money"  
  
"Okay, lending her money. How's she gonna pay you back? She's got no job, just some fantasy about being in a rock band. And now she's pregnant, she doesn't have to worry about anything, because she thinks you'll take care of her. Come on Jeff, you know this isn't right. You're too young to be settling down, and thinking about a family."  
  
"Amy's right, Jeff. Get out of this relationship while you still can." 


	2. Chapter 1

**2002**  
  
It's been four years since I last spoke to her. Four years since I let my brother and his girlfriend persuade me to break up with Louisa, and tell her I didn't want the baby. Four years since I accused her of only being after my money, and getting pregnant on purpose. Four years since I told her to abort our unborn baby.  
  
At the time she was struggling to make ends meet, yet another girl with a guitar trying to break into the music industry. She'd just formed a group with three other girls when she got pregnant. She swore it was an accident, and I believed her. That is, until Matt found out, and started on about how she did it on purpose. I was weak back then, and allowed myself to be talked into finishing with her. But I didn't just finish with her. I was cruel. I hurt her badly with my words, and made her cry. The things I said. well, they made me ashamed of myself. I regretted them as soon as they left my mouth, but once I started I couldn't stop. Screaming at her for being after my money, saying she was only with me so she could say she was the girlfriend of a WWF superstar, I just kept on at her until she ran out in tears.  
  
Two days later she stuffed an envelope of money through my front door. It was everything she owed me. I later found out that she had sold all of her jewellery, her car and some other stuff to get the money together. It made me hate myself even more.  
  
After a couple of weeks I felt so bad, and had missed her so much, that I went to see her. I wanted to say sorry, and see if we could work things out. When I got to her place, the women who she rented the room from said Louisa had moved out, that her and the rest of the girls in the group had left the area. She hadn't left a forwarding address.  
  
And now, four years on, I'm watching the music video for the current Number 1 single. I've been hearing it on the radio for weeks now. 'Twisted Dream' by Enlightenment. I'm staring at the screen in shock. The groups' lead singer, Sugar-Cane is staring back, singing her heart out. Stunningly beautiful, with long purple hair. It's Louisa. 


	3. Chapter 2

It's been three months since I saw Louisa on TV. 'Twisted Dream' stayed at Number 1 for five weeks. Their second single, 'Piece by Piece', entered the chart at Number 1 yesterday. The album was released this morning. I was outside the music store when it opened, I just had to get the album. You see, ever since I saw her on TV, I can't get her out of my head. It's become an obsession. I'm buying every magazine with a picture or article about Enlightenment in it, I've recorded their music videos and TV appearances, I was even gonna go to a music store that they were appearing at to promote 'Piece by Piece', but I couldn't get time off work.  
  
Matt says he's worried about me. He says it was four years ago, and that she's obviously moved on with her life. He thinks I should just forget that I ever knew her. If only it were that easy. I've been feeling guilty about everything that happened for four years. I've been wondering what Louisa was getting up to, and I've been wondering about my baby. Matt says I'm stupid for worrying about it, she must have got rid of the baby, coz if she hadn't she wouldn't be able to concentrate on her music career. I don't believe that. Louisa didn't believe in abortion. I wonder about my baby, and I just feel worse about myself. There's a little boy or girl out there without a father, and it's my fault.  
  
Amy agrees with Matt. No surprise there. She says if Louisa had kept the baby, she would have told me. Would she? After the way I spoke to her, the things I said? I told her I didn't want the baby, so would she really have told me? I'm so confused, Matt and Amy say just to forget it, but I can't get her out of my mind. I think about her all day, and then dream about her when I sleep. The dreams are bad. In them, Louisa is holding a baby, but she won't let me see. She turns and walks away saying that I don't deserve the baby. I try to go after her, but Matt and Amy are holding me back. I call to Louisa. She turns around, but instead of coming back, she throws money at me, and screams that she doesn't owe me anything anymore.  
  
I'm reading the album cover. Louisa has written the lyrics to most of the songs, and the group wrote the music together. There are 14 tracks on the CD, and number 8 is the one I'm looking for. It's called '18 Minutes', and according to every review of the album that I've read, it's the best track. All the reviewers said they were shocked that the group had decided not to release it as a single, as usually the best three or four tracks are released. Louisa wrote this song. Beside the title, there's a dedication. 'For Rachel' it says.  
  
I head over to the CD player, and put it on. I decided to listen to the CD in order. Track 1 is 'Twisted Dream'. After about a minute, curiosity gets the better of me, and I have to hear '18 Minutes', so I forward to track 8.  
  
I'm so into listening to this track that I don't hear Matt come in. He turns off the CD Player. Apparently, me and him have to talk. 


	4. Chapter 3

"Jeff, this obsession of yours has to stop."  
  
"Leave me alone."  
  
"How can I leave you alone? You're my brother. I love you, and I can't stand to see you like this."  
  
"Don't look then."  
  
"Come on Jeff, don't be silly. You haven't seen her for four years! You weren't even bothered about her until you saw her on TV!"  
  
"That's not true! Not a day goes by where I don't think about what happened, where I don't feel guilty about the way I treated her. I've hated myself for four years!"  
  
"What? Why didn't you say anything?"  
  
"How could I tell you? You hated her, you wouldn't understand. I tried talking to you about it after I found out she'd left town, but you just told me to get over it, that there were plenty of other girls out there. I didn't want any other girls. I wanted Louisa!"  
  
"Jeff, she wasn't right for you. You barely knew her."  
  
"Shut up! How do you know what was right for me? You hated her, why I don't know, and then you set about try to break us up. You weren't thinking about what was right for me, you were thinking about what you wanted! That's all you ever think about!"  
  
"Don't start with me Jeff! I didn't try and break you and her up, I just told you what I thought would be best for you. You were only 21, did you really want to be tied down with a kid? Anyway, if you were that desperate to be with Louisa, nothing I said to you would have made a difference. But it did, so you can't have been that interested in her. You should be thankful that I made you see sense back then."  
  
"WHAT! THANKFUL! My life is ruined because of you! I lost my girlfriend AND my baby because you kept pushing me to dump her. You and Amy were constantly pushing me to finish with Louisa because you hated her! What did she do to you? What the hell did Louisa ever do to you Matt? She's bringing up our child on her own because of you!"  
  
"Don't you dare blame me for this! You don't care about Louisa, or her kid! You haven't given her a second thought since she left, have you? All this crap about you want her, and you haven't stopped thinking about her, its all a lie, isn't it? You're just pissed now, because she's really famous, and you want a rock star girlfriend!"  
  
Me and Matt haven't had a fight for years. Arguments, yes, but we haven't had a real fight since I was 15. When I punched him, he didn't even see it coming. To be honest, neither did I. After I hit him, we both just stood there for about 10 seconds in shock. Neither of us could believe I'd done it. Then Matt turned red, his face twisted in anger. He hit me back, and that was it. The fight was on.  
  
I don't know how long we were fighting for, but I do remember hearing Amy screaming for help. Then I felt someone grab me, and pull me away from Matt. I was screaming for them to let me go, kicking out, trying to get back at him. Shannon was in front of me, pleading with me to stop. Amy was begging Matt to let it go, while Shane Helms and Glenn Jacobs held him back. I looked up to see who was holding me: Mark Calloway.  
  
"What the hell is going on here?"  
  
I looked over at the door, and saw a very, very angry Vince McMahon. 


	5. Chapter 4

At the hospital, the doctor told me I had a fractured jaw, a fractured hand, and some very bad bruising. I was waiting for the nurse to bring me some painkillers so that I could leave, when Amy came in.  
  
"How are you doing, Jeff?"  
  
"I've been better. I'm surprised to see you in here. How's Matt?"  
  
"He's still angry. You broke his nose. Why are you surprised to see me? I'm still your friend, even if you did try and kill my boyfriend."  
  
"I didn't try and kill him. Oh God Amy, everything is so messed up."  
  
"He told me what you said, and you're wrong. True, Matt never liked Louisa, but you were happy with her, so he put up with her. He didn't try and break you up, he never even told you to leave her, not until she was pregnant. Come on Jeff, you know he loves you."  
  
"He's got a funny way of showing it."  
  
"I know. He told me what he said, and he knows he was wrong. He was just angry, he doesn't really think you only want her now coz she's famous. He didn't mean to hurt you by saying that. Part of him is hurt too."  
  
"Why is he hurt?"  
  
"Because you've been suffering about Louisa for years, and you kept quiet about it. He feels like he's got to protect you, but when you were hurt the most, you didn't go to him."  
  
"But he hated her Amy, he."  
  
"You know he would have listened to, whether he liked her or not. If he knew you were that upset about it, he would have helped you try and find her. But you kept it to yourself."  
  
The nurse came in with my painkillers then, and Amy went back to see Matt. I headed back to the hotel, where I ran into Vince and Shane McMahon. Unsurprisingly, I was suspended, because I had hit Matt first. I got a lecture on professionalism, and was told that fighting with any of my co- workers is forbidden, even if it is my brother. I went up to my room, packed my stuff, and headed to the airport, to catch a flight home.  
  
I'm still so confused. I don't know how to deal with the way I'm feeling about Louisa, and now I have to worry about making it up to Matt. Amy had been right, I know Matt would have listened to me. Not anymore though, Louisa is too much of a sore subject between the two of us. There's only one person I can turn to for advice now, and I'm dreading it. He doesn't know why I broke up with Louisa, and he's gonna be angry when he finds out. 


	6. Chapter 5

I'll never forget the look on dad's face when I told him about what happened with Louisa. He looked so ashamed of me. He shook his head, and told me to go on with my story. He looked concerned when I told him about how I'd been feeling guilty ever since she left, and he looked at me with disbelief when I told him about the fight with Matt.  
  
I felt ashamed of myself already, but more so when dad told me how disappointed he was in me, and that he thought he'd brought me up better than that. I've been messing things up with everyone. I've hurt Louisa, Matt, and now dad, and I've got no idea about how to fix it. The tears that have been building up for the last month finally break through, and I can't stop them.  
  
Dad put his arm around me. He said not to worry about hurting him: yes, he's disappointed, but I'm his son and he'll always love me. He said not to worry about Matt either, he'll get over it. From the sound of his voice, I could tell that dad intended to have a word with Matt about Louisa too.  
  
What I have to concentrate on now is Louisa. Dad said if I didn't sort things out with her, it would bother me for the rest of my life. Also, he wants to know if he has a grandchild out there somewhere. I still don't know where to start though. It's been a long time, and I don't know if she'd speak to me if I got in contact with her. I have to try: I've got to find out about the baby, and I've got to tell her how sorry I am. The more I think about the way I treated, the more shocked I am at myself. Its like I can't believe that was me, I can't believe that I could have been so cruel and hurtful. But it was me, and now I have to figure out how to put things right.  
  
At home, I was putting my stuff away, when I came across Enlightenment's album. I put it in the stereo to listen to while I was sorting my stuff out. I'd forgotten what a great voice Louisa had. I remembered the first time I heard her sing. It was just after she'd formed the group, although they didn't have a name back then. They'd all gathered in the back garden of the house where Louisa was renting a room. This was the fourth or fifth time they'd got together, but it sounded like they'd been together for ages. Louisa started playing the guitar, with Naomi on the keyboard. Then Louisa started to sing. I had been shocked. We'd been dating for a couple of months, and I never knew that she could sing like that.  
  
I don't know when I fell asleep, but I was woken by the sound of someone knocking on the door. Enlightenment's CD was still playing, as I had put it on repeat. I couldn't believe it was morning already, I must have slept for at least 12 hours. My body was stiff and I felt uncomfortable from sleeping in my clothes in a chair. There was a knock on the door again, and I went to answer it. It was Matt. 


	7. Chapter 6

Vince had sent Matt home for a few days to recover from his injuries. He'd gone round to see dad, who had apparently not been very pleased about the way Matt had dealt with the whole situation with Louisa. Dad told him that he shouldn't have tried to deal with it himself, and he certainly shouldn't have told me to leave Louisa. I thought Matt would have been even more angry at me from being in trouble with dad, but he said he'd forgiven me for hitting him, that he was sorry for the things he said, and that dad had been right: he should never have told me to leave her.  
  
I felt bad again. Something Matt had said before our fight had been bugging me, and I realised I had been wrong in blaming him for my break up with Louisa. It was my fault. I was the one who told her it was over. I told him I was sorry for blaming him, and that some of what he'd said had been true. I had been persuaded to leave her too easily, and there was no one to blame for the things I said to her but me.  
  
Matt said that if I really had to get in touch with her again, he would help me out. He thought that too much time had passed, let sleeping dogs lie, that kind of thing, but he would help if it was what I wanted. I did want that, I wanted it so badly, but I had no idea where to begin. I said to Matt that I could try her record company, but I doubted that they'd let me speak to her, or put me in touch with her. Matt said he had a better idea about how to get in touch, and passed me a magazine.  
  
It was one of those womens' magazines, full of gossip and articles on why men are crap. I looked at Matt questioningly, and he laughed and said it was Amy's.  
  
"You don't think I'd buy something like that, do you?"  
  
"Well, if its not yours, why have you got it?"  
  
"Page 5 Jeff. Read it, and then you'll know how to find her."  
  
I turned to page 5. The title was 'Celebrity Spotting', and it was all about who had been seen where, and with who, and all that other stuff that only women are interested in. Part of the article had been circled. There was a picture of Louisa outside a shop somewhere in Connecticut. I read the piece that went with the picture.  
  
Enlightenment's lead singer Sugar-Cane was seen out shopping in Greenwich, Connecticut on Tuesday, where it is reported that she spent an obscene amount of money on clothes. One other shopper said that she had bought several identical skirts with just a slight difference in color. Seems like a waste of money to us here at Heat magazine, but then some of these celebrities have more money then sense. Over the weekend, Sugar-Cane was also seen out at several VIP parties and clubs, with her new best friend Stephanie McMahon, daughter of WWE owner Vince McMahon. Sugar-Cane and Stephanie have been seen out together several times in the past few weeks, and it has been suggested that they have been barred from one high profile bar in Connecticut for starting a brawl in a drunken rage, although there has been no confirmation of that.  
  
All of a sudden, I had a way of getting in touch with Louisa. Stephanie McMahon. 


	8. Chapter 7

Two weeks later, my suspension was over, and I was back on the road again. Matt had gone back the previous week. Before he left, I made him promise not to say anything to Stephanie about Louisa; I wanted time to think about what to say, and I was beginning to feel that this was something I had to deal with on my own. However, Matt felt the need to take charge of the situation, as usual, and went and questioned Stephanie anyway.  
  
"Jeff."  
  
"Oh, hey Stephanie. I was gonna come look for you later."  
  
"Well, I'm here now, and I have a question for you."  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"Last week when Matt came back, he started asking me questions about Louisa, you know, Sugar-Cane from Enlightenment. When I asked him why he wanted to know, he tried to brush me off by saying he was just asking because he read about me being friends with her in a magazine. But later on I overheard him talking to Amy. He basically went over our whole conversation with her, and then said 'Jeff won't be happy'. My question for you is: what's going on?"  
  
"Errr, I don't know. But I think I'll go and find him, so he can tell me."  
  
"No you don't. She's my friend, and I want to know why you and Matt are so interested in her life."  
  
"I don't know. Honestly I don't. Let me go and find Matt, so he can tell me."  
  
"Fine. I'll come with you. Then he can tell both of us. While we're looking for him, you can tell me what you wanted."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"When I first ran into you, you said you were going to come and find me later."  
  
"Oh, I can't remember now."  
  
"Lets go and find Matt then, shall we?"  
  
Luckily, one of the writers came down the corridor then, and Stephanie had to go off and do an urgent re-write for part of the show. She made it clear though, that she would come and find me to see what was going on. I headed off to find Matt, partly so we could get our stories straight before Stephanie found us later, but mostly to find out what the hell he was playing at. 


	9. Chapter 8

"Calm down. I only asked her a few questions."  
  
"If you only asked her a few questions, why is she demanding to know why we're so interested in Louisa's life? She overheard you talking to Amy. She now wants to know why I won't be happy with what you found out! And anyway, didn't you promise me you wouldn't say anything? Didn't you?"  
  
"I know Jeff, but I talked to Amy about it, and we decided that asking a few questions wouldn't do any harm."  
  
"NOT DO ANY HARM! This is my life Matt, and you promised me you wouldn't say anything. I guess a promise doesn't mean too much to you. Or maybe it's just me who doesn't mean too much to you."  
  
Matt looked really angry, and walked over to the window.  
  
"I understand that you're really upset over this thing with Louisa, but I'm trying to help you Jeff. Going into one at me is not going to get you anywhere. Now, are you gonna sit there and sulk, or do you want to know what Stephanie said?"  
  
I don't know how to respond to that. I'm desperate to find out about to Louisa, but at the same time I want to scream at Matt. Why is he making decisions about my life? What's it got to do with Amy? Does what I want count for nothing?  
  
"Ok Matt. Tell me what Stephanie said." I decide to talk to him later about respecting my wishes.  
  
"Stephanie said that Louisa doesn't..... well, she doesn't have any children. From what Stephanie said, it seems she knows Louisa quite well. They see each other often. When Stephanie went on holiday last month, she went to see Louisa in Europe, where she was doing a promotional tour. They even live in the same building Jeff, so if Louisa had a child, Stephanie would know about it."  
  
I'm in shock. It can't be true. Louisa was so anti-abortion, she would never have got rid of the baby.  
  
"Maybe Stephanie's lying."  
  
"Why would she?"  
  
"Well, maybe Louisa told her about what happened, and Stephanie's lying for her."  
  
"Come on Jeff, I know you want to believe that you have a child, but you have to face facts. There is no baby. Louisa had an abortion."  
  
"Well, maybe Louisa.."  
  
"Jeff, it's time to let go. Louisa's obviously getting on with her life. You should do the same."  
  
Amy walks in before I have a chance to say anything  
  
"Did you tell him?"  
  
"Yeah. But he doesn't seem to believe it."  
  
"Why are you talking about me as if I'm not here? It's not enough that you make my decisions for me, and treat me like a child, you now ignore me?"  
  
Matt goes to say something, and then the door opens. One of the technicians comes in, and says Stephanie wants to see me now. Apparently she's not in a good mood, so I better hurry up and find her.  
  
I head upstairs to Stephanie's office, angry at Matt and Amy for interfering, angry because Matt and I didn't get a chance to get our stories straight, and angry at the way things are turning out. At least it can't get any worse.  
  
I knock on Stephanie's door. She opens it, glares at me, and steps into the corridor.  
  
"Are you ok Stephanie?"  
  
She doesn't answer, just pushes me into her office, and shuts me inside. As I turn around, I hear her walk off down the corridor.  
  
Oh God. Oh God.  
  
Sitting on the desk. Louisa's here. 


	10. Chapter 9

Thanks to HardyzGurl1 and Shadow for the reviews. This is my first fic (as you can probably tell) and if anyone wants to let me know I'm getting on, I'd really appreciate the feedback.  
  
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I'm not ready for this. I don't know what to do, what to say. I feel myself starting to panic, I can hear my heartbeat in my head. I feel like I can't breathe.  
  
"Why now, Jeff?"  
  
She sounds so calm, as if she was asking about the weather. I still can't speak, I don't know what to say. All of a sudden, I wish Matt was here to help me.  
  
"Why now? Come on Jeff, it's been 4 years, why do you care now?"  
  
"I...."  
  
"You what?"  
  
She doesn't sound calm anymore, and I can see the anger in her eyes. I look away, I can't bear to see her look at me like that.  
  
" What's the matter, Jeff? Feel guilty about something?"  
  
She's so different to how I remember her, so bitter and cold now. It's like the person I loved has gone. I want to get out of here, I need time to think about what to say to Louisa, but I don't have any time. It has to be now.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
She laughs. "You're sorry? Yes Jeff, you are. The sorriest thing I've ever seen."  
  
"How have you been?"  
  
Louisa looks at me in disbelief, and I curse myself for asking such a stupid question.  
  
"Where did you go?"  
  
"Why do you care? You told me to go, so I did. I'm not here to talk about the past, Jeff, I've done my best to forget you ever existed. I just want you to stay out of my life, not go around asking my friends questions about me."  
  
She walks to the door to leave, so I go and grab her arm. I need to talk to her, but it seems she's had enough. The next thing I know her fist connects with my chin. I turn away in agony, my jaw hasn't healed fully from my fight with Matt.  
  
I expect her to leave. Instead, she pulls my hands from my face.  
  
"Let me see." All of a sudden, the old Louisa is here. She holds my face gently, examining the mark where she hit me.  
  
"You need to put some ice on that. Sit down, I'll get some for you."  
  
I sit on the sofa while she goes to get the ice. How the hell am I gonna fix this? There are so many things I need to say to her, but she doesn't want to know.  
  
I hear her walk back in the room. "Hold still." She puts the ice on my chin.  
  
"I'm sorry Jeff. I shouldn't have hit you. I... I have to go now."  
  
"Wait! I need to talk to you, I need to find out.."  
  
"There's nothing to talk about. Please stay out of my life." The old Louisa has gone again.  
  
" But what about.... what about the baby?"  
  
She turns around, and gives me a look of pure hate.  
  
"HOW DARE YOU! What gives you the right to come back into my life after 4 years, and ask questions about my child? A child you didn't want! I've been through hell because of you, and now you just say 'I'm sorry, where's my baby?'! I can't believe you! Just when I get my life back on track, you show up and try to ruin it again!"  
  
"I'm not trying to ruin your life! Please Louisa, I was wrong, and I've regretted it ever since. I'm so sorry for everything I said and did. I ruined my own life too, I lost you and the baby."  
  
"Well, I'm sorry you feel you've ruined you life Jeff, but to come to me now, and expect everything to be ok? I've moved on, and you're not a part of my life anymore. All your "sorry" s and "I didn't mean it" s are all too late. You're too late."  
  
She walks out the door, and down the corridor. I start to go after her, but someone pulls me back.  
  
"You can try again with her soon. It was probably a shock for her to see you too."  
  
I'm suddenly overwhelmed by everything that's happened, and fall to my knees crying, while my big brother holds me and tells me that it'll all be ok.  
  
Matt was right with one thing: I will try again with her soon. 


End file.
